Game apparatus



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G. A. WRAITH.

GAME APPARATUS- APPLICATION FILED MAR-26, 1920.

e. A. WRAH'H.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26,1920.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921..

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GEORGE A. \VRAITH, OF ZANESVILLE, OHIO.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed March 26, 1920.

To all whom it may come m: 4

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. lVRAITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Zanesville, in the county of Muskingum and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to game apparatus and more particularly to an improved apparatus designed for use in playing a game simulating the well-known game of baseball.

One object of the present invention is to provide an.improved construction of board embodying means whereby the score may be conveniently kept.

Another object of the invention is to provide the board with novel means for holding the game pieces when they are not in use.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the board embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the game pieces;

Figs. a to 16 inclusive are plan views illustrating different cards of a deck employed in determining the plays to be made upon the board.

In the drawings the board is indicated in general by the numeral 1 and the same comprises a plate 2 of wood or any other suitable material constituting the board proper and of flat rectangular form. This plate is seated at its lateral margins in grooves 3 formed in the opposing faces of side rails t which preferably extend throughout the lengths of the lateral edges of the plate 2 and are designed to support the plate in spaced relation to any surface upon which the board is disposed to rest. One of the side rails a is formed in its upper face near one end with a plurality of sockets 5 preferably arranged in two rows, the sockets of the said rows being relatively staggered. This group of sockets is preferably headed by the word Runs as indicated by the numeral 6, and a tapered peg or pin 7 is provided and may be fitted in the sockets interchangeably so as to indicate the total number of runs made during the course of the game. The word Out is printed upon the upper face of the said side rail as indicated by the numeral 8 and between this Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921'.

Serial No. 369,011.

word and the word Runs the rail is formed in its said face with a series of three sockets indicated by the numeral 9 and into which may be selectively fitted a peg or pin 10. This rail near its opposite end, and the other rail 4: near its end opposite the first described end of the first mentioned rail is provided upon its upper face with spaced upstanding pins 11 over and between which is stretched a rubber band indicated by the numeral 12, the two stretches of the band being normally parallel and slightly spaced. A suitable number of game pieces, for example six, are provided for movement over the face of the board and, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings each of these game pieces, which is indicated in general by the numeral 13, is in the form of a fiat sided circular disk lei provided in its periphery with a circumferential grove 15. One, two or three of these game pieces may be held upon either side rail in convenient position for use by engaging the game piece or game pieces between the stretches of the bands 12 in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawil'lgs.

Near its opposite end, the other or last mentioned rail 4: is formed in its upper side with a group of sockets l6 headed by the word Errors as indicated by the numeral 17. a peg 18 being provided for selective insertion in the said sockets. inwardly of the group of sockets 16, the rail is provided with a group of sockets 19 headed by the word Balls as indicated by the numeral 20 and a peg 21 is provided for selective insertion in these sockets. Inwardly of the group of sockets 19, the upper face of the rail is provided with a group of sockets in dicated by the numeral 22, the group being headed by the word Hits as indicated by the numeral 23, and a peg 21- being provided and being selectively insertible in the said sockets. v

Upon the upper face of the plate 2 there is depicted a baseball diamond having the various base positions etc. upon which the game pieces 13 may be disposed by the players in'the course of playing the game and in order that the plays made may be graphically represented.

In order that the plays to be made may be determined by chance, there is provided in connection with the board a deck of fiftynine cards certain representative ones of which are illustrated in plan in Figs. 4 to 16 inclusive. Thus Fig. 4: represents one of the strike cards, Fig. 5 illustrates one of the ball cards, Fig. 6 one of the sacrifice cards, Fig. 7 one of the stolen base cards. Fig. 8 one of the foul cards, Fig. 9 one of the first base cards, Fig. 10 one of the third base cards, Fig. 11 one of the sec- 0nd base cards, Fig. 12 one of the home run cards, Fig. 13 one of the right field cards, Fig. 14 one of the center field cards, Fig. 15 an umpire card, and Fig. 16- one of the left field cards.

The cards illustrated in Figs. 4 to 16 inclusive are indicated consecutively by the numerals 25 to 37 inclusive' There are three of the strike cards 25 each being provided with a suitable center design as for example three diagonal straight lines as indicated by the numeral 38, a similar. design being depicted in each corner of the face of the card as indicated by the numeral 39 and the card bearing near each end the word Strikes as indicated by the numeral 40. There are four of the cards 26 each provided with a center design of any arbitrary character but here shown as an open diamond 41 provided in each angle with a representation of a ball as indicated by the numeral 42, four balls being depicted in each corner of the face of the card as indicated bythe numeral 43 and the card bearing upon its face near each end the word Balls as indicated by the numeral 441. There are three of the cards 27 each having some appropriate center design as indicated by the numeral 15 and a somewhat similar corner design as indicated by the numeral 46 at each bearing near each end the word Sacrifice as indicated by the numeral 47. Also there are three of the cards 28 each being provided with a suitablecenter design indicated bythe numeral 48 and with a similar corner design 49, the words, Stolen base being printed upon the face of the card and suitably arranged with relation to the center design 48 as indicated by the numeral 50. Likewise there are three of the cards 29 and three ofthe cards 30 each having a suitable center design indicated respectively by the numerals 51 and 52 and corresponding corner designs indicated respectively by the numerals 53 and 54:, the cards 29 bearing the word Foul as indicated by the numeral 55 and the card 9 bear- 55 ing the wordsFirst base as indicated by the numeral 56. i The cards 30 are preferably printed in red or some other distinguishing color and there are three of the third base cards 31 which are printed in red and three which are printed in black, each card bearing a suitable center design 57, corresponding corner designs 58, and the words Third base as indicated by the numeral 59. In like manner there are provided three of the sec- 0nd base cards printed in black and three printed in red or some other distinguishing colors each having a suitable center design 60 and corresponding corner designs 61 and each bearing the words Second base as indicated by the numeral 62. The three home run cards 33 are printed in any suitable color or combination of colors and each has a suitable center design 63, corresponding corner designs 64:, and the legend Home run indicated by the numeral 65. There are also three more of the home run cards printed in colors to distinguish them from the first mentioned group of three such cards.

The right field, center field, and left field cards indicated respectively by the numerals 34-, 35 and 37 are each six in number, three of each group being printed in one color and three in another and distinguishing color. These cards of the three groups are provided each with a center design indicated re spectively by the numerals 66, 67 and 68, with corresponding corner designs indicated respectively by the numerals 69, 70 and 71, and with legends reading respectively Right field, Center field, and Left field and indicated respectively by the numerals 72, 73 and 74. For convenience in describing the invention it will be assumed that each group of field cards comprises three printed in green and three in yellow.

The umpire card 36 which may be em ployed if desired although its use is not essential, is provided with a suitable center design indicated by the numeral 75, corresponding corner designs 76, and the word Umpire as indicated by the numeral 77.

In using the apparatus to play the game, one of the players will represent the batter and the other the fielder, and in order that the value of the various cards may be under stood, their respective values are defined as follows: The strikecard 25 is of no value when played from the hand of the batter, but when played from the hand of the fielder counts out against *any card of value played from the hand of the batter except stolen base and base on balls. The base on balls card 26 when played from the hand of the batter entitles him to one base but is of no value when played from the hand of the fielder. The sacrifice card 27 counts an out against the battery when played from hishand but entitles him to moveup all of his men on bases, one base unless he has two outs against him in which case it is the third out and he is entitled to nothing. This card is of no value when played from the hand of the fielder. The stolen base card 28 when played from the hand of the batter entitles him to move up one man 011 base one base but is of no value when played from the hand of the fielder. The foul card 29 is of no value when played from the hand of the batter but makes a foul ball out of any card played from the hand of the batter when played against him from the hand of the fielder except base 011 balls, stolen base and sacrifice. As heretofore stated the first, second and third base and home run cards are printed some in red and some in black. When any of the black cards are played from the hand of the batter he is entitled to the number of bases designated by the card unless put out by a red card of like denomination played against him from the hand of the fielder. As before explained, the right, center and left field cards are printed some in green and some in yellow. \Vhen a green field card is played from the batters hand it entitles him to any number of bases or a home run either as may be designated by him before playing the card unless put out by a yellow card of like denomination played against him from the hand of the fielder or by a red first, second or third base or home run card as the case may be played against the base or home run designated by the batter.

In playing the game the fielder deals nine cards to each player, one or more at a time as agreed, and from this number each player will discard all cards which are of no value to him and he then receives from the re mainder of the deck cards equal in number to those discarded from his hand, but there is no further discarding. The batter will play first, playing from his hand, one at a time, such cards as are of no value to him and which were received in the supplemental deal, and the fielder will do likewise. The playing continues until the fielder succeeds in putting three men out and this constitutes one-half inning as in the original game. The cards are again shufiied and dealt, the batter or" the first half inning now playing as fielder and vice versa. In case one deal ing of nine cards is not sufiicient to complete any half inning, a second hand may be dealt but no discarding is allowed on this hand.

The umpire card 36 may or may not be employed as desired but if employed and when played from the hand of the batter it may entitle him to one run without changing the position of any man which he might have on the bases. On the other hand the card may count three outs against the batter when played from the hand of the fielder.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In game apparatus, the combination with a game board and a movable game piece, of a retaining means for the game piece comprising pins upon the board, and an elastic band engaged over and extending between the pins and between the stretches of which the game piece may be placed and gripped.

2. A deck of playing cards comprising a plurality of suits representative of the plays possible in the game of baseball and including first, second and third base, right field, center field and left field and home run suits, some of the cards of some of said suits being printed in distinguishing colors to indicate relative superiority.

3. In game apparatus, the combination with a game board and a movable game piece having a grooved periphery, of a retaining means for the game piece comprising normally parallel elastic members stretched and extending above the surface of the game board and between which the game piece is engageable, the groove in the periphery of the game piece receiving the said elastic members.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE A. WRAITH. 1,. 8.] 

